The Evil Tongue Tried and Found Guilty, Errata
Reader I desire thee to correct these Errours, which have escaped the the Press.
PAge 3. line 9. put out that, p 6. l. 1. after do, p. 7thly, p 8. l. 11. r. for, and put and, p 10 l. 17. put out they are, p 16 l. 25. for to r. for, p 25. for no r. any, p 26. l. 22, for i… r. are, p 31, l. 5, for upon r. open, l. 11. for reported r. reputed, for Righteous r. Righteousness, p 73, l. 6. for improved r. improve, p 88, l. 7, for your r. our, the 94 figures is misplaced, p 103, l. 25, for deforming r. defaming, p. 111, l. 9, put out far, p 126, for confirm r. construe, p 129, l. 8, for confirm r. consine, p 134, l. 16, r. foreign, p 139, l. 17, r. did, p 149, l. 20, put out to, p 159, l. 14, r. Reputations, p 161, l. 5. for into r. in, p 167. l. 5, r. persecuted, p 175. l. 5, r. for by r. ly, p 184, l. 10, r. opprobrius, p 192, l. 9, r…trow, p 198, l. 7, r. Lewdness, p. 199, l. 6, r. their, p 208, l. 17, r. there, p. 211, l. 6, r. fomenting, p 215, l. 26, r. surmising, p 247, l. 2. for or r. as, p 257, l. 22. r. Reproaches, p 261, l. 18. for under r. and of p. 265, l. 10, r. to, p. 279, l. 23. r. of.
There are many other lesser fauls, as mispelling, and mispointings, which thou mayest easily correct.
THat it is the duty of all men in their several places and capacities, to hinder and obstruct sins growth and progress; to labour to convince one another of their God-provoking, soul-wronging & soul-damning sins: and perswade each ether to repentance, as we have occasion and opportunity; is confessed and acknowledged by all, who profess to know Christ; and by Heathens also. When a house is on fire, all (that can) do think it their duty, to endeavour to quench it: and when men in the practise of sin are running headlong to Hell, all that see it should labour to prevent them; both by hedging up their way with thorns, that they may not find their paths, as God doth: Hosea 2.6. and by casting out to them Cords of Love to draw them back from sin to Christ, as God doth, Hosea 11.4. I mean the threats and terrors of the Law, and the alluring and drawing arguments of the Gospel, to convince them of, humble them for, and perswade them off from their iniquities; to return unto the Lord by true and serious repentance, to take up in him, and in the practise of holiness and righteousness towards God and men.
Wherefore I having observed, considered, and sadly experienced how rife and rampant that foul, pernicious, and damnable sin of reproaching and defaming one another is, amongst all sorts of men (a few serious souls only excepted) how diligent and assiduous men (especially women) are in that diabollical and hatefull work of casting dirt on each others good names, endeavouring to render one another odious, abominable, contemptible, and unserviceable to all men; and by kindling flames of horrid jealousie, strife and contention (like the Devil) among neighbours, friends and relations, and how (almost) every mans sword is set against his brother, and thrust into the heart of one another, I mean their good names: yea, and this great wickedness is very common amongst Ministers, who should be patterns of piety and righteousness before all men; yet I say, that they are stabbing and murdering the good names of their brethren as I have known, and have yet many bleeding wounds to witness the truth of it, fresh upon me. And moreover, Considering that few or none have given their publick Testimony against the said abomination, or thoroughly endeavoured to put a stop to the contagion of it, by advancing the Sword of the Spirit against it, and so it passeth up and down every where without check or controul, as the Pestilence that walketh in darkness, and the Sword that destroyeth at noon day, Psal. 91.6. I could not forbear, or refrain my self any longer from witnessing publickly against it, and endeavouring to cut it down with the Lords Sword of Truth; which I shall endeavour to do as well as I can, being convinced and satisfied, that it is my duty so to do, what ever censures I may incur thereby from proud Spirits; for as he said in almost a like case, Qui non malum prohibet cum potest faecet, so say I; If I do not all I can in my place to prevent the breaking out and practise of wickedness in others, as well as in my self, the guilt will lye at my door, and the holy God will, or may charge it on my head, which I shall now labour to prevent, and proceed in the light, Life, and power of Christ; who can supply me with all needfull abilities for this work.
1. To shew you the ends I aim at; and the design of my heart.
2. Reasons or Motives that induce me to it.
3. To State the Case, and shew what the the sin is which I shall detect, arreign, condemn, and dehort from, and wherein it doth consist.
4. I shall lay open the horrid and abominable nature of it. And shew,
1. How hatefull it is to God.
2. How grievously pernicious it is to men who are reproached, and to others that hear it. 3. How dangerous and hurtfull to the souls of Reproachers themselves, who while they intend to kill and destroy such as they do reproach, they do indeed destroy themselves, though they will not believe it.
And that first, from the names that the Scripture gives them, I mean, the sin and the sinners.
2. From the Root, Spring, and Fountain of the sin.
3. From the nature of the sin.
4. From the natural and genuine fruits and Issues of it.
5. Shew how this Sin is aggravated and heightned: And that first, with respect to the Reproachers. 2dly. The Persons reproached. 3dly. The manner and way of reproachers procedures in reproaching. 4thly. Their ends.
6. I shall shew, that receivers of Reproachers reports of others are as bad, and do sin against God, Men, and their own Souls, as the Reproachers do answer Objections and Questions.
7. I shall shew how persons may avoid and abstein from the committing of this sin, if they will. There are other things which I may speak too, both on the Doctrinal and Applicatory parts of the discourses occasionally.